Police want school alcohol lessons

Police want school alcohol lessons

MANADO, North Sulawesi: North Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen.
Erald Dotulong stated here on Thursday that it is time to teach
school students the dangers of being drunk.

"There should be a special class about the dangers of being
intoxicated," Erald told reporters.

"Police will propose to the provincial office of the Ministry
of National Education here, to include such lessons in the
curriculum," he said, as quoted by Antara.

North Sulawesi ranks seventh in the number of criminal cases
in this country, of which 60 percent are said to be alcohol-
related.

The provincial administration has tried to reduce the number
of drunks in the region by imposing Provincial Regulation No.
18/2000 which imposes a six-month sentence and a Rp 5 million
(US$454.5) fine for anyone caught drunk in public.

"The regulation had be imposed earlier this year and is
followed up regularly by routine police operations called
Burako," Erald said.

Separately, the head of the Ministry's office, Dirk P. Togas,
welcomed the idea, saying that the drinking problem is very much
related to ethics. (hdn)